An oval-shaped table. Layers over layers of paper scraps. Random words and notes on a board. Lots of storylines. This is where many of our favorite characters and series came to life; in a writers’ room.
Back in the 1950s, many films and television series were developed through the collective writing methodology of the writer’s room. Since then, the practice has been popularized thanks to the richness and diversity brought about by gathering a group of writers to collaborate on the writing process, from the brainstorming and character development stage to creating finished written episodes.
This year, the Arab Culture Fund for Arts and Culture in collaboration with OSN are launching the Writers’ Room, a mentorship program designed to foster the development of compelling stories in the Arab region.
We invite all writers and series creators from the Arab region to be part of this unique experience: pitch a series project and get a chance to develop it with peer writers and mentors.
About the program
The Writers’ Room program will incubate projects until the development of fully-fledged limited series while providing mentorship support, follow-up, and input from specialists and experts during and in-between residencies. Additionally, the program aspires to create a framework for series writing in the region that is anchored in the writers’ room method, and that allows for peer-to-peer learning and participation in the creative process. The selected projects will get an OSN-exclusive first look at their projects and the opportunity of potential selection for further development beyond the residency program.
Who can apply?
The Writers’ Room is open to Arab writers living and working in the Arab region, irrespective of age, ethnicity, gender, or religion.
Applying writers must have prior experience in writing (preferably for series) and must apply with a series project.
AFAC and OSN encourage the formation of teams of a minimum of 2 writers (and a maximum of 4 writers) to apply with a joint project. A project with a single writer is still eligible to apply. However, if selected, AFAC will assign co-writers to the project to work with the main writer.
How to apply?
Application is done exclusively online, via the AFAC website here.
Know more about the Supporting documents, eligibility criteria, evaluation, and selection processes on the program page here.
Do not hesitate to reach out to the grant management team for application-related questions or to our content management team for technical questions.